This disclosure generally relates to display units and particularly to a display unit having groups of light emitting elements in which a data distribution system is utilized. This disclosure provides an improved method of providing interactive communication with a pixel module of such a display. This disclosure further provides improvements allowing interactive communication with the pixel modules both to aid maintenance and to provide new operational features.
Display units for entertainment, architectural, and advertising purposes have commonly been constructed of numbers of light emitting elements, such as LEDs or incandescent lamps mounted onto flat tiles. The light emitting elements may be selectively turned on and off to create patterns, graphics, and video displays for both informational and aesthetic purposes. These displays may be constructed as tiles or large panels that are assembled in position for a specific entertainment show or event or as an architectural or advertising display.
When such a display is used for an event or theatrical production, it is desirable that the display be easily removable, for example, in between scenes of a play or theatrical event, as the needs of the production dictate. Systems may use a tile based structure where a tile, typically around 61 centimeters×61 centimeters (i.e., 2 feet×2 feet), can be lifted by hand and positioned. Accurate positioning of the tiles may be a time consuming and complex process involving skilled personnel.
Displays of these types may be constructed at different resolutions where the spacing between the light emitting elements can be varied. It may also be a requirement to change this spacing at different points on the display.
Many of these systems require large numbers of light emitting elements or pixels acting independently and, thus, require robust high speed data distribution systems, often driven by computer derived data or video signals. A display constructed in this manner using modules is flexible in that it allows the user to reconfigure the display into different shapes and formats; in some cases it can also allow the replacement of a single faulty module without having to replace the entire display. However, in such a case, there is a need for a means of quickly addressing or setting the modules so that they will respond to the correct data appropriate to their physical or assigned position in the entire display.
Some methods for assigning these addresses use physical switches or settings on the module itself; a computer network which allows configuration from a master controller; or a connection scheme which can automatically allocate addresses dependant on the order of connection of modules. It would be advantageous if there was a means to communicate with a single module without utilizing the as yet unaddressed data link.